


Our First Step Together

by slashhearts



Series: The Things I Want To Tell You —届ける、届けたい。— [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Idols, M/M, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-11
Updated: 2019-01-11
Packaged: 2019-10-08 04:58:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17380025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slashhearts/pseuds/slashhearts
Summary: An upbeat college student and a former pro gamer, Daisuke Tadano and Yuuma Shishino are brought together to form 513 Production's newest Idol unit, ᴀɴᴛᴇɴɴ∀. While Daisuke is more than ready to get started, he can't help but fixate on his new partner. There's something about him he can't seem to place.





	1. Part One: Morning and Lunch

###  **AM 8:00, 513 Productions, President’s Office**

The morning sunlight filtered in through the window. Producer had stepped out into the hall to take a call. Ken had made some coffee for the President and left it on his desk. Daisuke’s stomach growled. His sisters had woken up late and trying to get them to school and daycare in time left him no time to eat. To his right, Yuuma sat and stared out the window. His eyes were half-lidded; was he still half-asleep? He’d never spoken two words to the guy but he had seen him around the office before. Just like the others who had yet to debut, they ran into the same lessons sometimes. Daisuke’s gaze always drifted to Yuuma. He had this look of determination on his face whenever he was training, but now… He just seemed kind of dopey honestly.

Daisuke smiled to himself. He kept glancing over. He had always meant to say hi, introduce himself formally, become friends even, or… more than that? The thought lingered like his gaze until it became staring. He fell into old habits as he fell into his fine details, trying to take it all in. His eyes traced the wrinkles on his shirt, the veins on the back of his hands and arms, the curve of his jaw, the intensity of his eyes…

_Crap!_

Without warning, Yuuma shifted his stare and the two locked eyes for a split second. Daisuke could feel his face turn red. He almost snapped his neck, he stared down at his lap so fast.

“Was that your stomach?”

“Huh?”

“Just now, it sounded like you were hungry,” Yuuma said. Neither his eyes nor his face featured any sort of expression. What was supposed to have been a calming presence only wrecked Daisuke’s nerves even more.

“O-Oh! I didn’t even really notice… I t-think I skipped breakfast again today, haha…” Daisuke trailed off.

_How long until this meeting starts already?!_

As if on magical, coincidental cue, the Producer stepped in.

“Sorry to keep you guys waiting, the President’s going to be a little bit longer,” the Producer broke the tension as they perched themselves on the edge of the President’s desk. They leaned back and looked between the two of them with their arms crossed triumphantly.

“I have a good feeling about this.”

“SO DO I!!!”

“W-W-Where did you come from?!” Daisuke leapt back in his seat, almost toppling over. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Yuuma do just about the same, his glasses askew and in danger of falling off completely.

“Don’t mind him, he does that,” the Producer laughed. They stepped off to the side to let the show begin.

“That doesn’t matter! What matters is that the two of you have the PASSION to go out there and achieve your dreams!” the President stood behind his desk, his arms crossed with his face covered by a ficus leaf. He slammed his hands on the desk in front of him. “I’ve been watching the two of you closely and you’ve been making great progress.”

“Are you sure about that?” Daisuke raised an eyebrow and looked around the room. A knot had tightened in his stomach. “I mean, I’m sure Shishino-san’s more than capable, but me? Really?”

He glanced at Yuuma, calm and collected again so soon after the President’s sudden outburst. He watched the President intently, his eyes darting behind his golden lenses. _C’mon, react! Do something! I’m not the one who thinks this is all crazy, right?_

“It’s true!” the Producer chimed in. They pulled out a folder with their resumés and quickly scanned over them. “Of course, there’s always room for improvement, but these progress reports from your coaches and trainers have been nothing but positive feedback.”

“Right, I mean, we’ve all been working hard, everyone here at 513, but surely the others have made even more progress!” Daisuke continued, gesturing to the door to mean literally anyone else. He stood to his feet. He couldn’t believe his ears, almost denying what was coming. Yet, a small part of him was hopeful. Cautious, but hopeful.

“Certain ones have excelled in other areas, sure,” the Producer explained, shuffling the papers away. “But this is what’s been decided. We think you’re ready.”

“Well, it’s about time,” Yuuma stood next to Daisuke, crossing his arms.

“Does this mean—” The knot in Daisuke’s chest began to loosen as the realization manifested. His nervousness transformed within him and his eyes sparkled with excitement.

“Congratulations, boys!” the President beamed.

“So we’re finally debuting, huh?” Yuuma asked, knowing full well what the answer was. He draped an arm around Daisuke who would’ve melted on the spot, but so much was happening for him to register any of it. Daisuke realized what was coming and could barely contain himself, fists clenched and eyes wide.

The Producer took a deep breath and set their hands on their hips. Their voice spoke with booming authority. Daisuke cocked his head to the side. _Was he trying to imitate the President?_

“Tadano Daisuke! Shishino Yuuma! Together you two…”

They paused for dramatic effect. They and the President looked at each other and nodded. The two shouted in unison with all the energy they had:

“You’ll be making your official debut in two weeks!”

The room erupted in cheers and screaming, not only from Daisuke but Yuuma too as the others applauded for them. Daisuke couldn’t contain himself. His heart pounded as his hand shook.

“Thank you so very much!! You won’t regret this, I’m going to work even harder!” Daisuke shook the President’s hand, returning the former’s enthusiastic vigor. He reached out to the Producer to do the same. “Thank you so much again!”

“Well alright then,” Daisuke turned to find Yuuma with his hand extended before him. He wore a determined, almost intimidating smile, but Daisuke paid it no mind. “Looking forward to working with you then, partner.”

Daisuke grasped his hand. His palm felt warm in his.

“You too, partner!”

* * *

 

###  **AM 11:30, 513 Productions, Meeting Room**

“...And that’s the schedule for the first week. Any questions so far?”

The Producer stood at the head of the room with the whiteboard behind him. He had detailed out their entire plan by each day, using color-coordinated notecards to lay out their entire schedule. Magnets pinned up orange lesson cards followed by blue recording sessions, or green radio shows. A good mix of purple magazine interviews, red variety show appearances, and grey meet-and-greets were thrown in the mix as well. Only a few white rest cards were peppered in here and there. Otherwise, the rainbow of an agenda seemed to go on and on. 

“One question,” Yuuma raised his hand. He glanced down at his notebook to review his notes. “This looks like a lot going on here. Are we really going to be able to fit all these in time?”

“Y-Yeah… I mean, I’m super excited to get started, but I’ve never done an interview or talk show or anything of that kind before, how are we supposed to pull that off?” Daisuke added, hesitant.

“There’s actually some prep time set aside for that at the start of each day,” Yuuma leaned over to flash his notebook at him. “Our day usually starts at 8, here at the office. Whatever event we have planned usually starts at 9 or 9:30, so we can use that extra time for that.” 

“Ohhh,” Daisuke took a closer look at the notes. He had figured Yuuma was pretty diligent to be as talented as he was in his lessons, but he hadn’t expected this level of detail. At least, it looked like detail? His handwriting was a little hard to read… He studied the notes and the board and took a turn to raise his hand. “Are we really going to have 12-hour days though? I help take care of my sisters at home and that might make it a little difficult”

“Well, this is still a preliminary schedule. We can make some changes to ease it up a bit, but we are going full-force here. You have one chance for a first impression and we should make it the biggest splash we can,” the Producer explained. 

“While that’s all said and true, and while I do believe in ourselves, we also want to avoid burning out too early, don’t you think?” Yuuma suggested. He glanced at Daisuke. 

The Producer turned back to the board and pulled a few cards down to look at them closer. They started shuffling them around, trying to rearrange them as he muttered to themselves. “You might have a point…”

“We could try stacking all of one color together? Or maybe do like a pattern?” Daisuke suggested. He started losing track of what was what and he couldn’t tell if the colors helped him yet or not. 

“Hmm, that might work…” the two sat in silence as the Producer continued rearranging. A few minutes ticked past and the board’s organized grid had devolved into clumps that broke the original schedule view. It was honestly amazing how quickly the Producer had gotten to this point. They looked back at the two apologetically. “I’m gonna need some time here… Why don’t you guys grab some lunch?”

“Are you su—” Daisuke started. His stomach let out another growl. “Erk.”

“That’s a mighty fine idea, Tantou,” Yuuma got up and clapped Daisuke on the shoulder as he headed for the door. “C’mon, my treat.”

“You can take the company card, here,” the Producer rummaged around for their wallet but Yuuma stopped them.

“It’s okay,  _ my treat _ ,” Yuuma reiterated. He winked and waved off the Producer who wore a look of confusion. “Really, it’s alright. We can celebrate our formation with some ramen. Tadano, you comin’?”

“Y-Yeah!”

“Okay, I’ll text you when it’s time to come back, alright?” the Producer called after them as the two made their way out of the office building, down the staircase, and headed out onto the street. Already, the sidewalks were busy with office workers and retail employees closing up and filing out for the lunch hour. Daisuke struggled to keep pace while navigating the crowd.

“Are you in the mood for ramen though?” Yuuma asked. He slipped his hands in his pockets and led the way, somehow deftly maneuvering between people. Or were people moving to let him through? Daisuke wasn’t sure. He struggled to keep up as Yuuma kept on. “That was just the first thing that popped into my head is all. If you want, we can get a little fancier with it, get some fatty tuna.” 

“Ramen is fine! Oh, sorry… Excuse me…” Daisuke tried to smile, following Yuuma’s steps. He was not as nimble nor was his presence enough to have people step aside for him. “To be honest, I—”

Without warning and without looking, Daisuke ran into someone hard, bumping into their back. The force of the blow knocked Daisuke back as he found himself looking up at the sky in freefall. He felt a hand grip him by the wrist.

“Woah there!”

With a small grunt, Daisuke found himself back on his feet. He checked his wrist as Yuuma pulled his hand away.  “You okay there? You ought to be more careful,” Yuuma frowned. His eyebrows were arched in concern and his lips were drawn tight. “We can’t have you out of play just yet, we haven’t even started!”

Despite this warning, Yuuma turned and took a few steps forward, continuing on without waiting. Daisuke dusted himself off, his face burning only slightly. “R-Right, sorry about that…”

“Don’t be sorry, just be careful,” Yuuma called out over his shoulder.

“It’s just…” Daisuke started. 

“What?!” Yuuma yelled, now a couple of yards ahead.

“Would you mind slowing down a little?” Daisuke shouted over the crowd.  _ Where did all these people come from? _

“Can’t,” Yuuma shouted back. “If we don’t hurry, they run out of seats! This way!”

“We could just get ramen somewhere else?” Daisuke suggested. His shirt was starting to stick to him, skin drenched in sweat. 

“What? No! This is  _ the _ place for ramen, you gotta trust me on this,” Yuuma was too excited at this point. His brisk pace quickened as the crowd started to thin out. It was as if his stomach had started controlling him, pushing him along until the finish line. 

“Alright then…” Daisuke broke into a jog. He tried to keep eyes on his partner's back. It looked like his shirt was starting to stick to him too, but he didn’t seem to mind. Daisuke tried not to fixate on it too much. His hunger was starting to get to him. “How much farther?”

“Not much actually, we’re pretty close… Ah! Here it is,” Yuuma ducked into an alleyway. As Daisuke rounded the corner, he found Yuuma sliding the door open and ushering him in. “After you.”

* * *

###  **PM 12:15, Shibuya, Nandou Ramen**

Yuuma slid the door open and gestured Daisuke in. It was a dark, hole-in-the-wall ramen joint packed with salarymen on their lunch break and a few high schoolers playing hooky. The chatter was almost deafening as they squeezed around the tables to take the last two seats at the bar. 

“Yo, Kenji. Spicy shoyu with char sui for me, please,” Yuuma took his seat and raised a hand to flag the man behind the counter. He turned to Daisuke. “You?”

“Oh, uh, I’m not sure yet,” Daisuke checked the menu on the wall. Yuuma was so quick in ordering without the menu, he was caught off-guard. “I guess I’ll have the same please!”

“You sure you can handle that heat? It’s pretty intense. The tonkotsu here’s pretty good too,” Yuuma suggested.

“That does sound good. I’ll take that instead please!” 

“I’ll have a beer too,” Yuuma added. 

“Er, is that a good idea? Producer might want to jump into some work when we get back, they seemed pretty eager,” Daisuke pointed out. He held his breath and gulped at the glance Yuuma gave him.

“...Yeah, you’re right. Just the ramen then, please and thank you, Kenji,” Yuuma shrugged. There was a slight meekness in him as his voice softened. “Sorry, force of habit.”

“It’s okay, really! It’s just, we’re on the job… and all…”

“No, you’re right.”

The cook started their orders and the two poured each other’s waters. Daisuke looked around at the lunch crowd and the shop itself. It wasn’t too decorated, nor was it threadbare. An old handwritten menu was pasted up next to a few framed photos of who was presumably the owner. A few other frames surrounded it, all of them signed with an autograph, but none he could recognize. Yuuma took a sip and watched Daisuke take it all in.

“Do you usually drink? Er, with your meals, I mean, I guess,” Daisuke asked, turning back to the man seated next to him. He realized Yuuma staring at him…  _ Crap, why’s he looking at me? Was that too awkward of a topic to talk about? _ He started kicking himself mentally. 

“A normal amount,” Yuuma shrugged. If he noticed any awkwardness, he ignored it with grace. Either way, the eyes behind his glasses didn’t give anything away. “Is ramen okay by the way? I know it was a little troublesome to get here, but we could get something else if you want?”

“Ramen’s fine!” Daisuke was grateful for the return to normal. “To be honest, I actually haven’t explored much outside of the office up until now actually. I wouldn’t have known where to go for food other than the local convenience store next door.” 

“I should ask though,  _ do _ you have a favorite food?” Yuuma asked.

“I like burgers,” Daisuke shrugged. “Does that count?”

“With or without cheese?”

“With!” 

“Good to know,” Daisuke wasn’t sure if he was imagining things or if he actually heard a faint trace of a smile in Yuuma’s voice. He chose to save it for later, he had to make sure he didn’t mess up the chat so much. Yuuma raised an eyebrow. “Make sure you drink some water though, you look like you could use it. You feeling okay?”

“I’m fine, I’m fine!” Daisuke assured him as he reached for his glass.  _ Cool it! He’s starting to get suspicious!  _ “So you’re on a first name basis with the cook? That’s pretty impressive.” 

“I just come here a lot is all. I heard a rumor that the other guy who works here is an idol himself now, but I haven’t met him yet. Makes sense though, if he’s actually an idol, he’d be too busy to work here,” Yuuma said. “Honestly, that didn’t really play into my choosing this place. Just wait, the best ramen you’ve ever had is on it’s way!”

“Oh man, you’re telling me…” Daisuke held his stomach with its pangs of hunger. He drank more water. “Maybe we’ll meet that idol on a job though! That’d be exciting!” The thought of working with other idols as an idol himself excited him. The high from this morning’s announcement meeting was slowly coming back to him, his hunger fading for the time being.

“Yeah, maybe. We could even tell him how much we love his shop,” Yuuma entertained the idea with him for a bit. He trailed off for a second, then moved on. “So, tell me about yourself.”

“Wow, sudden subject change much,” Daisuke chuckled.  _ He’s getting straight to the point, this guy.  _

“We’re going to be working together from now on,” Yuuma turned his whole body to face him and propped up his head on the counter in front of him. He flashed a smile. “I’d like to get to know you better.”

Daisuke felt his face getting warm again. He hoped the dim lighting made it hard enough to see it. 

“W-Well, I’m a college student, over at 〇〇〇〇 University,” Daisuke explained. He tried not to stammer too much. “I don’t know what I want to major in yet though, so I’m just doing my gen ed classes for now.”

“Got any idea what you want to do?” Yuuma’s gaze wasn’t exactly a stare, it wasn’t focused, but it still pierced through Daisuke. He wasn’t sure whether to feel safe or unsettled. 

_ What is that? Is he trying to read me? Is he sizing me up? Did he want to fight? Aw, what the hell.  _ Daisuke tried to ignore it. He chose safe. “Not yet. I like kids though.” 

“Hmm… ever think about being a teacher?”

“Teachers are smart, right? My grades are pretty average, so I don’t know if I’d be a good fit,” Daisuke shrugged. “That sounds fun though!”

“You skipped breakfast this morning,” Yuuma transitioned into a new topic. The change threw Daisuke off. _Is he actually listening to me?_ _Where is this going?_

“O-Oh yeah,” Daisuke took another sip from his glass. “My sisters, they woke up late this morning and I had to make sure they were going to get to school on time.” 

“Sounds tough,” Yuuma smiled again. His eyes softened. “You mentioned that earlier at the meeting. How old are they?”

“The oldest is 18 and a senior in high school. After that, I have a sister who’s 7, she just started first grade. And the youngest is Himari who’s only 3 months old, but she’s so smart, she’s so close to saying her first word,” Daisuke listed off. “They’re a handful but I love them a lot.”

“I can tell.”

“What?”

“You had this big warm grin on your face while you were talking about them just now,” Yuuma pointed out. 

“I guess that kind of thing comes naturally,” Daisuke chuckled.

“I guess, yeah.”

A quick silence settled between them for a moment. It was as if Yuuma had figured he had enough conversation for the time being and it made Daisuke nervous still. He started reading the laminated specials card on the napkin holder to take his mind off of it. Daisuke noticed Yuuma’s leg bouncing under the counter. The vibrations made their glasses sway ever so slightly. After an eternity, Kenji brought out their bowls. 

“Orders up!” 

“Alright!” Yuuma cheered. He broke a pair of chopsticks and put his hands together. “Let’s eat!”

“Thanks for the food!” 

The next few minutes were mostly quiet save for the sounds of slurping and chewing. Daisuke figured he was a big eater, especially with how hungry he had been, but he looked over at Yuuma and watched as he quickly devoured his bowl in three bites, noodles and toppings and all. At the five minute mark, he finished slurping up the last of the broth. 

“You know there’s a lot of sodium in that, right?” Daisuke laughed as he still worked on his ramen. 

“I know, that’s why it’s delicious,” Yuuma winked behind fogged glasses. He leaned back in his seat and rubbed his stomach. “Man, was that good.”

“You come here enough to know the cook’s name, you eat a large bowl of spicy ramen in a snap… I’m starting to get worried about your health,” Daisuke jabbed at him half-jokingly. “Are you eating properly at home?”

“I’m fine, I’m good!” Yuuma laughed. 

“So what’d you do before this?” Daisuke changed subjects. It was his turn to get to know his new partner now. A sense of determination filled him, but Yuuma’s demeanor changed in response. He slowly sat up straight and took a sip from his glass. He made it a point to look anywhere but at Daisuke.

“Played games,” he grunted. It was like whatever curious energy he had earlier had dried up. A gentle flame had dimmed darker still. “Went to college for design.” 

“Oh wow!” Now Daisuke was getting somewhere. He ignored the mood change and kept up the cheery attitude to keep the atmosphere light. “I never really played video games growing up, what kind did you play?”

“All of them, really,” Yuuma continued. His shortness seemed odd. This might’ve been a bad idea. “There was something about every game that I really liked, I guess. Like the characters, or the story, or the music…” 

“That sounds cool, I’ve always wanted to try going to the arcade, but I never had the time,” Daisuke said. He rubbed the back of his neck and cleared his throat. “And I don’t know too much about games to buy any to play at home either.”

“You should make the time. They’re fun.” 

Another lull, longer than the last. The awkward tension mounted with each passing second. Daisuke tried to come up with another question but nothing came to mind. Yuuma sat there next to him. Their phones chirped.

“It’s Tantou,” Yuuma checked the text. He texted back a reply. “Said they’re ready to continue with the meeting. You almost finished?”

“O-Oh, uh, just about,” Daisuke was thankful for the interrupting and started stuffing his face. He fumbled for his phone in his pocket to check the same text and his partner’s response. Producer had started a group chat for them. 

_ > If you guys are about done, I think I was able to rearrange the schedule some. Let me know when you guys are on the way. _

Yuuma sent the first reply. 

_ > I think we’re just about done. Be there in 20ish.  _

_ Just about done, huh…  _ Daisuke rethought his gratitude as he thumbed a quick message himself.

_ > Shishino-san took me to a ramen place just down the street! We’ll be there soon!  _

_ > _ 🐶👍🏽

“Nice emojis,” Yuuma chuckled. 

“Dogs are my favorite!” Daisuke spoke, his mouth full of noodles. 

“Hey, don’t rush. I said we were almost done, but we can still take our time,” Yuuma stood and nodded at Kenji before glancing at Daisuke again. “Kenji, put it on my tab. No good if you make yourself sick, Tadano. I’ll wait outside for you.” 

Daisuke gulped down whatever he had bitten off and sighed. 

“S-Sure, okay.” 

The door shut behind Yuuma as he stepped out. Daisuke couldn’t help but feel a sinking feeling in his stomach. He set his bowl down and stared into the remaining broth, its contents settling at the bottom. A plastic bag appeared right in front of him. He looked up and found Kenji with a wry smile.

“Don’t take it personally, kid,” Kenji set the bag down and crossed his arms. “It’ll just take a while. Here, dorayaki. On the house.”

“Thank you…” Daisuke took the bag and stood himself. He took a quick peek in the bag, a few little fish-shaped pastries were wrapped in plastic along the bottom. 

“Azuki. There’s his favorite… Hey, don’t look so glum,” Kenji returned to work and reached for a dish towel to wipe down some glasses. “He has to let you in first. Let him trust you.” 

“Right,” Daisuke nodded, his resolve returning. “I’ll see you next time!”

“Next time, kid.”

Daisuke stepped out and found Yuuma playing a game on his phone. He concentrated on the screen, tapping and swiping. His eyes held an intense glare behind his yellow-tinted glasses. Daisuke cleared his throat to get his attention.

“Kenji got us dessert,” Daisuke held up the bag. “I think there’s even enough for Producer.”

“Sounds just like him,” Yuuma nodded. Things seemed to be back to normal enough. He put his phone away and turned back toward the office. The crowds had thinned out and he continued onwards at a leisurely pace. “C’mon, let’s go see how crazy the rest of our lives are going to be.” 

“I’m sure it won’t be that bad!” Daisuke made the conscious decision to walk alongside him.  _ We’re partners now, I have to start acting like it. _

“But what about your sisters?” Yuuma asked. He noticed Daisuke walking next to him and turned back ahead again. “Are you the one who takes care of them?”

“When I first started here, my family and I came to an agreement,” Daisuke explained. “Plus my sister’s 18 so she can help out sometimes too.”

“It’s really great you have such a supportive family,” Yuuma said. 

“What about you? Do your parents know about your idol work?” Daisuke asked. He tried to keep his question light and nonchalant. They were just starting to get back into their groove but he still wanted to know more about them. 

“I think I might’ve mentioned it to them? I live alone though and I don’t have any siblings, so I think it’s less pressure on them,” Yuuma said, returning the lowkey mood. He seemed responsive enough. 

“That sounds lonely,” Daisuke muttered to himself. He noticed Yuuma’s shrug and Daisuke shook his head hard at the insinuation. “Oh, wait no, I don’t mean—“

“You’re all good, I understand. You come from a big family. Me, I’m used to being by myself. Ever since I was a kid. I’m alright, don’t worry about me,” Yuuma chuckled a low, hearty laugh.

Daisuke’s breath caught in his throat as he watched his new partner smile and relax a bit.  _ Am I going to be this awkward around him all the time? Get it together! _ An idea came to him. “How about you come home with me tonight?”

“…Excuse me?”

“Argh, wait wait, no! That came out all wrong!! I mean, I still want you… at my house! Wait, that still sounds weird… It’s fo…r food? Ahh, what am I—why am I so nervous?”

Daisuke glanced up and the next thing he knew, Yuuma’s face was barely an inch away. He could see deep into his bright eyes. Daisuke froze, his breath caught in his throat. Yuuma brought a hand up to his forehead. 

“You feeling okay? You’re not feverish…” Yuuma checked, his voice soft and quiet. He lifted his glasses to get a better look at him and Daisuke took in all the details he could. His cheekbones, the slight crows feet around and the subtle dark bags under his shining sterling silver eyes, his sharp and prominent Adam’s apple… Daisuke’s face was definitely red, but Yuuma didn’t seem to notice. He backed away flipped his glasses back on. “You don’t have a fever… Looks like skipping breakfast really did a number on you though. I’m going to talk to Tantou about keeping the office fridge stocked with snacks for you.”

“W-What?”

It took a few minutes before Daisuke snapped from his daze. Yuuma was already a block ahead. 

“I’m fine! I don’t need snacks!”

“Yeah, okay.”

“I’m supposed to be the big brother here!”

“You’re a year younger than me.”

“Says the guy who eats cup ramen for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!”

“Ramen-ya is way different from cup ramen.” 

“If anyone needs to talk to Producer about their partner’s eating habits, it should be me!!”

“I’d like to see you try!”

“Just you wait!”

…


	2. Part Two: Afternoon and Evening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kind one moment, reticent the next... As excited Daisuke is about their new adventure, there's something about Yuuma that Daisuke can't put his finger on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (EDIT: 1/12/2019 - There was a scene I forgot to add... Sorry about that! You can find it at towards the end of PM 1:30.)

###  **PM 1:30, 513 Productions, Meeting Room**

“So we received five noise complaints today,” the Producer sighed. They tilted their head back and rubbed their temples with one hand. “I’m glad you guys are so enthusiastic, but we should be careful not to cause any trouble since we really haven’t even gotten started yet.”

“Were we really being that loud?” Yuuma looked at Daisuke sheepishly. They shrugged at each other.

“You can’t knock us for bonding though, can you?” Daisuke smiled at the Producer innocently.

“No, I suppose, I can’t,” the Producer let out another hefty sigh and gave them a weak smile. “Just be careful, alright?”

“Okaaaay!”

“Good,” the Producer nodded. “Now, let’s get to the good part…”

They walked over to one of the portable whiteboards, a new one that hadn’t been there before the two left for lunch. A sheet had been draped over it.

“Now, as a unit, you’ll need a theme… Drumroll please!”

Without hesitating, Daisuke started drumming on his thighs. He smiled expectantly over at Yuuma. The bespectacled man jokingly rolled his eyes and slowly started drumming on his own thighs until the two revved up a steady beat until…

“Ta-da!”

Drawn on the whiteboard were two triangles, one red and one blue, arranged into a lightning bolt shape. Beneath it were big block letters.

“You two will debut a unit whose theme will be centered around the concept of “connections,” the Producer explained. They started passing out promotional pamphlets that featured the two of them on the cover, their new logo situated along the bottom of the page.

“ᴀɴᴛᴇɴɴ∀,” Yuuma read.

“‘The _future_ might be unknown, but I still want to reach out to you and tell you how I feel’,” Daisuke read out loud the tagline along the top of the page. “Why is ‘path ahead’ spelled out as ‘future’?”

“We wanted for you two to invoke a sense of wanting to make your feelings known, no matter what happens,” the Producer continued.

“That sounds pretty deep,” Yuuma pointed out, flipping through the pamphlet.

“Aren’t these headshots from when we first signed on?” Daisuke scrutinized his own face. He never would have imagined it next to Yuuma’s face. Daisuke wore a goofy grin with a hand raised up for a fistbump, a little embarrassing now that looked back at it. He thought it was cool at the time, but now… Meanwhile, his ever cool partner’s headshot looked like something from a fashion magazine. There were Yuuma’s eyes, striking and clear as always. He faced forward with a determined gaze. He kept his arms crossed across his… broad chest. _Ahem._

“Can I take a new picture?” Daisuke asked. “I look kind of… I dunno, childish, here?”

“Yeah, me too,” Yuuma agreed. “I look like I’m about to enter the ring for a boxing match or something.”

“What? No, you look super cool, Shishino-san!” Daisuke protested. “If anyone needs to retake it’s me! You look fine! Not like, _fine_ fine, but you look good! Er…”

“Both of you will, in a few days. We just need to get you guys fitted for your signature outfits first, they’re just finishing up the designs, should be ready the day after next,” the Producer referenced their clipboard. They took note of the display before them but continued onwards.

“This theme isn’t too deep for an idol, is it?” Yuuma asked. He looked troubled. “I’m all for it, but I’m afraid of not being able to connect with that many people over it. Besides, aren’t idols supposed to be just fun and fluffy anyway?”

“You’d be surprised,” the Producer gave them a reassuring smile. “A lot of people will definitely be on board for this. Everyone’s had something on their chests or on their minds that they can’t manage to get out, one way or another. Our music, _your_ music, can help them say whatever they need to say.”

“Is there anything you’ve ever had trouble saying, Shishino-san?” Daisuke asked, cocking his head to the side.

“...”

An odd silence hung in the air. Daisuke and the Producer looked at each other.

“Shishino-san?” Daisuke repeated. “You there?”

“Huh? Oh,” Yuuma snapped out of whatever trance he was in. “Sorry, I got sidetracked there for a second. Did you say something?”

“Daisuke was just asking if you ever had anything you want to say to someone, but couldn’t,” Producer said. They kept their expression gentle, yet still trying to gauge the mood in the room. _Perhaps the President was onto something here..._

“Like you said, who hasn’t?” Yuuma hesitated. His eyes darted all over the pamphlet, looking for something to change the subject with. “Do we have a debut song yet?”

“Right, we have rehearsals with the vocal coach coming up in a couple of days. After that, we’ll go in for recording. At the same time, you’ll be working closely with the choreographer to learn the routine for it,” Producer went back to their notes. “If anything, immersing yourselves in your new song can help you learn it that much quicker…”

The Producer trailed off as they went over more details, but Daisuke had tuned him out. Instead, he watched Yuuma break out his notebook and continue his notes from earlier. _Something’s definitely off… What did he not want to talk about? Why was it upsetting him so much?_ Of course, Yuuma’s business is his own, but it bothered Daisuke to know that there was something his partner needed help with.

It bothered him even more to know that he didn’t know how he could help.

“Oh, one detail we need to go over,” the Producer clapped their hands and recentered the meeting. They could tell the fledglings were starting to stray and wander. “We need to establish a leader.”

“There’s only two of us,” Yuuma pointed out. “Do we really need one?”

Daisuke nodded along.  _ Please don’t let it be me though, I barely have the skills to be an idol, but a leader? No way…  _

“The President and I both decided this would be best. Most units have a leader, no matter how many members,” the Producer explained. They turned to Daisuke and looked at them expectantly. 

“What? Me?” Daisuke pointed at himself. 

“We think you’d be perfect for it,” the Producer said. 

“There’s no way I’m ready! If anything, it should be Shishino-san!” Daisuke gestured to his partner. He looked at his partner for help but was only met with a blank expression. “Back me up here.”

“...I’m good either way actually,” Yuuma said. He had drawn out his voice as he was processing, but he was sure. “As long as you can take us to the top, then I’m trusting you to take care of us.”

“Before you panic,” the Producer held up their hands to calm the younger member. “It’s not about skill. The leader role is taken on by the member that shows a unique combination of upbeat positivity and steadfast determination. Each unit needs a different kind of leader and said leader ends up playing a part in forming the unit’s feel and mood.”

“You really think I’m the guy for the job?” Daisuke asked. His stomach was somersaulting and his head was light. 

“No doubt,” Yuuma spoke up. He gave him a determined smile. “You got this, Leader!”

“Well… Okay then!” Daisuke raised a fist, triumphant. The flipping and fluttering in his chest had energized him. He could just picture himself standing with Yuuma in the middle of a sold-out stadium, center stage and waving at the crowds. Each breath he took was pure electricity. “Just leave it to me!” 

He held the pose for a minute only to falter slightly at the sound of applause. “Jeez guys, don’t clap for me yet, I haven’t really done anything!”

“It’s more awkward not to clap,” Yuuma shrugged.

“Now that we have that settled,” the Producer continued on. “About next week’s schedule…” 

* * *

###  **PM 6:15, 513 Productions, Lobby**

“Really, Producer, you didn’t have to walk us out,” Daisuke fretted.

“Yeah, we know our way around the building, y’know,” Yuuma walked behind with his hands in his pockets. “Just because we started today doesn’t mean we started today.”

“I know, but I wanted to go over the plan for tomorrow one last time before you guys headed out,” the Producer led the way down the stairs. “Plus, Daisuke, I know you’re going to offer to help with the paperwork again so this way I can make sure you leave the building at a reasonable hour.”

“Aw, you know me so well,” Daisuke giggled. Yuuma raised an eyebrow at him and Daisuke clarified, “Up until now, I’ve been staying back and helping here and there. The extra cash was nice, but also the Producer looked like they needed help!”

“Which is my job anyway, so while I appreciated the help, you’re free and clear now!” Producer turned around and gave them a firm look. “Alright, so rest up because tomorrow we have…”

“Outfit fittings and our first choreography lesson,” Daisuke and Yuuma flatly recited in unison.

“You only said it a hundred times over the past five hours,” Yuuma crossed his arms. “Do you really doubt us that much?”

“Not at all! It’s just my job,” Producer winked. “I’m gonna head on back up to finish some work. Make sure you get some rest, no staying up too late gaming or anything, got it?”

“I’ll only stay up until 2 AM instead of 3 for you, Tantou,” Yuuma teased back.

“You joke now, but there’ll be hell to pay if you come in exhausted tomorrow, Shishino,” Producer warned. They turned to Daisuke. “I’m trusting you to take care of him.”

“I’ll take care of him, no worries, Producer,” Daisuke nudged him with his elbow.

With a wave, Producer bounded back up the stairs, leaving the two alone in the lobby.

“What did you mean, ‘take care of me?’” Yuuma smirked as soon as the Producer was out of earshot.

“O-Oh, uh, well,” Daisuke stammered, rubbing the back of his neck. “I-I mean, I didn’t mean anything—”

“Relax, I’m just teasing. You’re so easy to mess with, y’know,” Yuuma started towards the door and waved. “Don’t worry, I won’t stay up late tonight.”

“Shishino-san?”

Yuuma turned as he held the door open. The roaring of passing cars on the street made its way into their bubble of shared space, letting the outside world peek into the fragile peace of the moment. He raised an eyebrow but his face held a blank, yet expectant expression as he waited for the younger man’s next words. Daisuke felt the pressure of the moment surge through him, a nervous energy threatening to spiral out of control. He clenched his fists and took a deep breath to steady himself.

“I…”

_Crap, what do I say? I said his name without thinking… now he’s looking at me and now I have to say something… Say something. Daisuke, say something! You can do it, snap out of it, it’s so simple, you were talking to him just a minute ago, what happened. Just open your mouth and make a sound. Any sound. Okay, make a word sound. Just start with, Shishino-san, I… crap, even my inner monologue gets stuck. This is it, I’m done for, this is how I die. Say something!!_

“I… I—”

“I had fun today, Tadano,” Yuuma cut him off. His eyes softened with a warm smile. Daisuke felt his heart skip a beat. “Let’s work hard together, okay? I’m holding you to it.”

“I… Y-Yeah!” Daisuke managed to squeak. “Me too. I’m glad we’re together—as a unit!! I’ll make sure to work hard too!”

“I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yeah, good night.”

Yuuma stepped through the glass doors as Daisuke watched him round the corner. Daisuke held his hand up to his chest. His heart was pounding.

“Shishino-san...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The wonderfully precious cinnamon roll that is Daisuke belongs to the equally wonderful and talented milkiato! Thank you so much for being just as excited about our sons as I am!!! Hopefully my writing can match your art's caliber. 
> 
> This all started from the #idolsona tag that floated around Twitter a couple of months ago. It soon developed into 513 Productions, an iDOLM@STER: SideM AU where the Producers (or players) became idols themselves under the idols themselves! I'm thankful for everyone's support. Please look forward to more from these two!


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